[ecb_penguin]

> I think there's a meaningful distinction between high-pressure situations at work and exams in school

Sure, in school there is no real consequence. That's why it's important. School exams are orders of magnitude easier than the real world.

> "thrives under pressure" is not a universal quality everyone is expected to have or use

School isn't intended to imbue everyone with universal qualities. Some people will excel and some wont. The ones that excel will go on to work in situations where you must thrive under pressure.

> It's a useful skill, and it's more useful to have than to not have, but the same can be said of a thousand skills

This is a different discussions then.

[JoshTriplett]

It seems like you have equated "excel" with "must thrive under pressure". That is precisely the point I am disputing. It's a skill, like any other. It is not the single most important skill everyone must have and everyone must be filtered on.

[ecb_penguin]

> It seems like you have equated "excel" with "must thrive under pressure"

Thriving and excelling are not that far apart :).

Thrive: grow or develop well Excel: be exceptionally good at or proficient in an activity

> It is not the single most important skill

Nobody said it was!

> everyone must be filtered on

It's a data point. Exam scores don't matter when you apply for a job, or do anything else in life.